MACtion Previews, Open Thread: Week 2

Back by little to no demand, here’s a midweek thread to talk about MACtion!

Tuesday, November 10

All times CT in honor of NIU, I guess.

Akron Zips (0-1) at Ohio Bobcats (0-1)

6pm | CBSSN | Ohio -27.5 | O/U 59.5

A difference in 0-1 teams: Ohio, with “yes, Nathan’s brother” Kurtis Rourke at the helm, moved the ball relatively well with RB De’Montre Tuggle in a close loss to CMU characterized by some questionable end-of-game work by Frank Solich & Co.

Akron, on the other hand...well, it was 30-13 Western Michigan at halftime and it only got worse from there. When QB Zach Gibson rolls in at 4.2 YPA throwing the ball, uh...

Should be a Bobcat romp. Moving on.

Kent State Golden Flashes (1-0) at Bowling Green Falcons (0-1)

6:30pm | ESPN2 | Kent -20.5 | O/U 56

WE GOT A RIVALRY TROPHY...maybe?

The Anniversary Award honored the 75th anniversary of a bill giving both Kent and Bowling Green teachers’ colleges, which northern Ohio, to that point, did not have.

Those jokes write themselves.

Anyhow, I’ve never been able to find a picture of the Anniversary Award. Never. Not on newspapers.com, not in our Getty and USA Today subscriptions, not in a Google Image Search, not on the Kent State or Bowling Green digital archives of student newspapers...nothing. One Kent State article from September 1999 told me it was a plaque and Banner Society confirms “glass plaque on wood base,” but that’s all I have.

I wasn’t able to find it three years ago, I can’t find it now. I have wasted 30 minutes of my day on this. I need to see a picture of this dumb-ass, likely underwhelming trophy. HELP.

Miami Hydroxide Redhawks (1-0) at Buffalo Bulls (1-0)

7pm | ESPN | UB -7 | O/U 55.5

Game of the night, easy. The Fightin’ Bases lost QB Brett Gabbert to a possible concussion in last week’s win over Balls Tate—the best MACtion of the week—but backup A.J. Mayer tossed three touchdowns and Miami Hydroxide didn’t miss a beat.

They’ll get more pushback from Buffalo, where Jaret Patterson pounds the ball on the ground over and over (6.8 ypc and 2 TDs against NIU). The Redhawks couldn’t stop the Robotbirds running the ball—I don’t fancy their odds against the Bulls, especially on the road.

But that’s why MACtion is, as they say, magic.

Wednesday, November 11

Eastern Michigan Eagles (0-1) at Balls Tate Robotbirds (0-1)

6pm | CBSSN | Balls -8.5 | O/U 60.5

Don’t let the 0-1 records fool you—this is a game worth tuning in for...at least until Toledo-Western Michigan kicks off. The Robotbirds both pounded the ball with Caleb Huntley (21 for 130 and 2 TDs) and got a chunk passing day out of QB Drew Plitt, but the defense blew a 21-10 lead and a late Plitt INT gave Miami a short field to score a late game-winner. Balls Tate remains capable of POINTS, though...

...and Eastern could keep up if they cut down on the mistakes. QB Preston Hutchinson threw a pair of picks but has big-play potential, as does RB Darius Boone, who ripped off a 34-yard run against Kent State. Outside that one carry (and sacks), though? The Eagles ran the ball 27 times for 52 yards. RB D.J. Smith particularly distinguished himself with 0 yards...on 8 carries.

I don’t know about grabbing the over here, but these teams going to the air could make for some stupid fun.

Toledo Rockets (1-0) at Western Michigan Broncos (1-0)

7pm | ESPN | WMU -2.5 | O/U 59.5

The big one of the night.

In a matchup that could decide the MAC West, two prolific quarterbacks in Eli Peters for Toledo and Kaleb Eleby for the Broncos should put up some points and numbers. Both teams run deep at RB as well—Shakif Seymour and Bryant Koback for Toledo, La’Darius Jefferson and Jaxson Kincaide for WMU—but had laughers against Bowling Green and Akron in Week 1.

We’ll see how turnovers and special teams might affect this one—both kickers missed a PAT in Week 1, but the Broncos have big leg potential in Brazilian K Thiago Kapps. Why not end this one on a 51-yard winner?

Central Michigan Chippewas (1-0) at Northern Illinois Huskies (0-1)

7pm | ESPNU | CMU -7.5 | O/U 57.5

I don’t know what it is about reaching the last game that makes me less excited to preview it—that’s definitely unfair to CMU QB Daniel Richardson, who was a genuinely exciting and fun player, with hard-running RB Kobe Lewis, to watch in the Chips’ tight win over Ohio.

Former Cal QB Ross Bowers is running the show in DeKalb now, and early returns are...mixed? The Huskies set up the run with Harrison Waylee and Erin Collins, but Chicago WR Tyrice Richie is the excited player to watch, for me, on the NIU side of the ball.

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Here’s your open thread for the mid-week MACtion! Looking for Big Ten content?

In the meantime, please send me a picture of the Anniversary Award. You might just save my marriage in the process, because I am very close to spending an unhealthy amount of time and energy finding a picture of this damn trophy.